JESSSTYLE

"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. And O ye Believers! turn ye all together towards Allah, that ye may attain Bliss."

Qur'an, 24:31

My Fashion Inspiration: Gyaru

❤ السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته  

I want to talk about my clothing/fashion as a Muslim revert. Going into Islam it really scared me, that I, in time, must cover completely. It's not that I dressed provocative it was just that I don't like to wear lots of layers or long sleeves as I get warm easily, especially in the summer!  Other than the fact of covering my arms and neck, wearing loose clothes was no problem for me as I had previously acquired a street fashion inspired look from Japan/Korea. I grew up being a bit of a tom boy, I HATED dresses or anything girly. Then I became goth in middle school later obsessed with Japan. I adored: Japanese anime, manga, video games, music. With the music came the fashion that went along with it:  Visual/Oshare kei. I have always been into rock, metal, punk, and Jrock/Visual/Oshare kei. So this dark, Lolita/Punk/Goth type dress has always clung to my taste. Near the end of high school this style did tone down a bit. I wore less accessories (like spiked collars, yes, spiked collars) but always had a hint of  darkness whether it be in my make-up or shoes. Within the past few years I got a little bit more fem.  I started liking bows, polka dots, pink, and Hello Kitty. When becoming a Muslim I then grew excited to fuse modesty into my own unique Asian inspired attire. The thing I like about Japanese fashion is that it's always different. It some how, for some reason, is different from Western fashion. It steals from Europe and becomes it's own label. I can't explain it but I know some people do understand what I'm getting at. Right now I'm into Gyaru. It's an array of looks but there's just something about it that makes it special to me. Possibly the fact of how feminine it is, yet very unique. Some girls do all look the same yet others make their own look, their own identity with Gyaru. There are dozens of sub categories suiting each individuals taste. Although for a Muslim to be a 'real' Gyaru (based on some Gals levels) it does not suit the rules of modesty. Either way I have found inspiration from Gyaru and have found my own way, in my opinion, to take from it's fashions and make it modest. For me I add simple accessories which make a huge difference, like a pendant necklaces, rings, printed shoes or scarf. I never wear nail polish, falsies, lenses, or lip sticks (like ALL Gals do). I might for big events or if my Mr. wants me to for him. My make up is usually just mascara and liquid eyeliner, with lip gloss. 

It's not hard to acquire a modern look with Muslim modesty. You just need to think outside the box, about layering, and looking at the different types of styles. Don't follow the girls in your town or school, or even copy the 'latest trends' from the magz. I also personally believe every Muslimah needs a good colorful cardigan, fab shoes, lots of long pendants, a good maxi dress/skirt and beautiful scarves. With those few pieces you'd be surprised at what you can put together. Shop around and try something new~ 

 

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Remember the meaning of modesty! It means to be free from ostentation or showy extravagance. You don't wear things to impress others or show off. For myself, I don't care about brand names (expect that Juicy shirt that I found for $20 lol I had to buy because of the fabric), I like my clothes cheap, I bargain hunt, shop at thrift stores, and wear what's comfortable for me, I wear what I like for myself. Modesty is also an attitude and trait. Don't conform to the Western ways just because you feel out of place. This goes to all girls!~ Don't do something just because everyone is (unless, of course, you're happy doing that).
Do what makes you happy, feels right, and stays under the laws of Allah.

A lot of my clothes in these pictures are new and I have purchased them from yesstyle.com. It has a huge selection of different styles and they're affordable! Sometimes it's hard living in the West to find these types of styles. I know when I went to Taiwan 4 years ago I fell in love with all the t-shirt dresses and baggy pants they had. These styles are slowly making their way to the Western hemisphere but I just don't find them to be the same. So I purchase them online (It's easier to shop that way too lol no digging!) Other places I love shopping at are Ardenes, Sirens, and thrift stores.

I hope you enjoyed this post and take something from it~

What do you consider modesty as? And what do you feel makes a perfect piece for a Muslimah's wardrobe?